


Princessnapped!

by EmoLordSasuke7 (Gekiai)



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Cocky and feisty Sasuke, Drama, F/M, Kidnapping, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-06-22 12:58:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15582501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gekiai/pseuds/EmoLordSasuke7
Summary: The Ice Princess was to be betrothed to the Fire Prince. Unfortunately, this arrangement was interrupted by an unknown party of no-good bandits. Hinata is kidnapped and sent to an unknown place. Sasuke is grasping at straws to get the princess back. But who was behind this plot is what surprises both of them. Alternate Universe. Reposted from fanfiction.net.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm new to AO3 so I'm still trying to figure out some things. I started writing this story in...2013...and have gone on a ton of hiatuses because I'm a horrible person with wavering motivation. BUT, I'm going to try real hard to keep up my writing and bring more of my stories here too. 
> 
> So I hope ya'll enjoy this. Let me know what you think!

_Princessnapped!_

**Chapter 1: Anticipation**

The ice princess walked down the vast hallways of the Ice Palace with a small skip in her step. Her giddy appearance was pretty apparent. In just a few days time she would be betrothed, and could hardly contain her excitement.

 _'Soon I will have my happily ever'_ the princess thought with a broad grin as she entered the grand dinner hall.

"Hina!" her younger sister called out to her once Hinata sat down at the dinner table. "You're so lucky!" Hinabi was one for romance. She too wanted to get married very soon.

"Maybe so...but you too will be blessed with the same luck." She told her sweetly, wanting for Hinabi to achieve her desire yet not wanting her to grow up so soon.

Dinner was served shortly. A peasant would have said it was the feast of the gods, but for royalty it was just an everyday thing. There was always plenty of food left behind that servants could throw out to the rustics later.

Halfway through dinner, King Hiashi cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Hinata you must start packing immediately." He said with a strong voice. "It is a day's travel to the Land of Fire. You will ride by carriage."

"Are Hinabi and you accompanying me?" Hinata asked, not wanting to be alone on this trip.

"Unfortunately we can't come along. We'd love to but there are very crucial matters here that need to be handled first."

The princess's throat grew dry. This is what she had hated for years. He always put everything or anything possible before Hinata. It even seemed that he favored Hinabi more than her. Was this wedding just a task for him to get her off of his hands?

Feeling these familiar sentiments rise within her, Hinata cut another slice of meat and put it into her mouth, the lamb seeming to have lost all of its taste.

oOo

Hinata started packing the many clothes she had in her wardrobe. Most of them were frilly dresses, alluring gowns, and sophisticated-looking skirts. While digging through her enormous closet, she spotted a pale pink box tied with a thin, purple ribbon. She didn't recall seeing that before. Placing it in her lap, she carefully untied the delicate string and opened the box. The first thought that came to the princess's mind was that this item must have been part of a prank. It was lace pink lingerie, adorned with straps and all. Hinata knew exactly who had done this. She giggled and closed the box, fully aware of the soft blush that adorned her cheeks.  _'If I were to wear that for him…'_  she couldn't even finish her thought without feeling her stomach turn to mush.

There was a small knock coming from her door. "Come in!" she called and continued stuffing clothes into her many suitcases.

"Princess…" the voice came from her head servant, Deidara. "Do you need any help?"

"I would appreciate it."

They were silent most of the time as they quickly finished packing. All the clothes the princess wanted was kept in 3 big wooden chests. She made sure not to forget the little "gift".

"Thank you Deidara." She bowed politely.

"You are too kind princess." Deidara grinned. "It was a pleasure to help you." He bowed as well.

"What the king didn't mention was that I would be accompanying you on this trip."

"That's wonderful." She smiled. At least she would have someone to socialize with. The blond kissed her hand lightly and smiled at her, a look of pure endearment within his blue hues.

"You should get to sleep Princess."

"Alright Deidara-kun, goodnight!"

"Goodnight." He departed leaving Hinata alone in her bedroom. She put on her gown and slipped into bed.

" _I wonder what he's doing right now…"_ she was thinking of the Fire Prince, Sasuke, the one she would be betrothed to. From his dark onyx eyes, to his courageous attitude, Hinata thought he was perfect for her. She stared at the ceiling, mentally beckoning sleep to come to her. Tonight would pretty much be a sleepless night anyway.

oOo

The prince was excited as well. He'll be a married man. The downside was that he could no longer flirt and  _play_  with the attractive women he came across. It was time for him to grow up anyway. A couple years from now he would fully be in charge over the Fire Kingdom. It was really because his older brother had been banished from the kingdom.

At the moment, the prince was standing at his balcony that overlooked the rolling wheat plains of the Fire country.  _'When the hell are they going to harvest all of that anyway?'_  this was a trivial thought that appeared in the young man's mind. He didn't bother himself much with the actions of the peasants, so anything on the outside was clearly foreign to him. Thinking back to Hinata, Sasuke was actually pleased that he would marry her. He had been infatuated with her at a very young age. She was truly,  _'the perfect girl'_.

Figuring that he might as well go to bed, he walked into his bedroom and closed the doors behind him.  _'We don't need anyone trying to assassinate me tonight.'_ That was clearly his mild narcissism speaking to him.

He found his room a solitary, in which he could have his private moments. Even the prince's own living room wasn't private enough since servants would rudely barge in or pass by. Anyone wanting to contact him at this late hour would get his signature death glare and would narrowly escape without being excoriated.

Stripping down to nothing, he slipped into his own bed and sighed. His eyes lingered on the whiskey that sat at his bedside table. He always liked a drink before going to bed. Tonight, he even doubted that liquor would coax him to sleep.

Tomorrow, preparation would be made for their wedding. This would really be an experience for him. He poured himself a glass and drank it all in one gulp. His mother would scold him if she saw him doing this right now. Setting the glass down on the table, Sasuke pulled the sheets of his bed up to his neck. Closing his eyes shut, he thought of Hinata, his approaching wedding and oddly, his brother.

oOo

The mysterious long-haired man observed the moon from the small window he had. Tomorrow was the day of the planned attack. They had prepared well, pinpointing the party's exact location around 12 o'clock noon. His spies had helped him greatly. He would take back the woman that had been taken away from him.


	2. Flashback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the first few chapters a long time ago, so they're a little short. There's probably errors too, and I'll fix that soon enough.

_Princessnapped!_

"Itachi, Sasuke…" the queen called. The boys ran over as soon they heard her warm voice.

"This is Princess Hinata, from the Land of Ice." She kindly pushed a little girl into view, to which the small bluette she still grasped onto her skirt, almost desperately.

"H-Hello." The tiny girl squeaked. This had been the first time she had interacted with boys around her age.

"Hi." The younger boy, Sasuke, said a welcoming smile gracing his features. He had always been affable, confident, and never afraid to meet new people. He tilted his body some to get a better view of the girl, but Hinata simply shrunk further away.

"There's no need to be shy." The woman assured, speaking towards the young girl before looking back at her two sons. "You boys be nice to her, okay?"

The two boys nodded.

Hinata was then left alone with the two Uchiha boys, the shy princess looking longingly after the beautiful queen.

"Hello princess." The older one finally spoke, bowing politely to the young girl. He could tell how timid she was, and didn't want to be too forward in his approaches.

"H-Hi." She greeted back shyly, bowing back in return.

"Hey Hina, wanna play hide and seek?" Sasuke invited almost immediately.

"U-Uh—" Before the girl could even utter out the rest of her sentence, she was pulled away by the younger boy, dragging her out the door. Itachi stood there, refusing to play in such infantile games, but was already feeling a bit of loneliness. What a way to meet the woman he was supposed to be marrying years from then.

From then on, Sasuke always held Hinata's interest. She never paid much attention to Itachi although he was the one she would be betrothed to. He was the real prince. But ever since he was banished from the kingdom, everything was stripped from him. His family name, his title, all of his belonging, but most of all, the princess. Itachi was already in love with the Ice Princess from the start, but just about detested how she was charmed by his younger brother. It wasn't that he was shy, he was just more subtle and reserved in his speaking and demeanor. He only wanted some time to be with her alone...but Sasuke always found a way to get her away from him. It's as though he did this purposely.

oOo

*A year or so later*

The clock struck midnight. Itachi carefully snuck out of the palace and into the dense woods that surrounded it. He dove through sharp branches and low grasses to get to the rendezvous point.

"Finally," the mysterious man said. "What have you figured out?"

"My parents are hiding something of great value in the lowest dungeon. I believe this very kingdom depends on it."

"And how do I get this?"

In the distance, sirens went off. The guards had detected unknown peoples in the kingdom after dark.

"Found them!" The lead knight captain barked, quickly emerging out of the bushes. Itachi and the unknown man had been caught.

oOo

*The very next day*

"I can't believe it!" the king roared angrily. "Working for spies? Do you KNOW how much danger this kingdom is in now?"

"I'm well aware, Father." Itachi responded quietly.

"Don't you DARE call me father! You are no longer an Uchiha! Only thing you are is a traitor!"

"Honey, please calm down!" the Queen protested. "He couldn't have given too much information—"

"You have no say in this!" The king bellowed at his wife.

Itachi wanted to yell at his father for disrespecting his mother but kept quiet. It was true that it was foolish of him to act as a double spy. Many things had pushed him to this point. For one, it was the mistreatment that his father did to his mother, and two, how evilly he treated the peasants. He found it repulsive and upsetting to even be associated with such a greedy despot.

But why did he shoot himself in the foot and do this? Why didn't he swallow his pride and wait until he was the king of this kingdom and manage it the way he saw fit? Though his face was placid all throughout this predicament, he was already beginning to regret it deeply.

"Now you…" King Uchiha said in a harsh yet quiet tone. "Are banished from this kingdom!"

"C-Can't we just keep him in the dungeons—" the queen protested but her voice stopped as the lone thing that could be heard was the sound of the king's palm on her face.

Itachi was enraged and could've jumped on his father right then and there. Before he could even move, however, guards took him away to the torture chamber. He said nothing on the way there, knowing that if he said anything, his punishment would be worse. He knew what was to come.

They chained him to a wall, his back facing them. Itachi waited anxiously for the first hit. He had always heard of other's bleeding to death from floggings. The former prince's heart was so twisted in despair, that he wasn't even scared of death.

The whip cut through the air and landed on the middle of his back. The sting was so powerful that he nearly lost his footing. The whips only got more powerful, as if his punisher was simply enjoying this. White searing pain was the only thing the raven-haired man could feel, his grunts of agony concealed behind his lips. Blood dripped down his back, slipping into other open wounds. One strike was so hard, he fell to his knees. Then, it stopped. Itachi wondered if there was a pattern on his back or just a messy maze of red bleeding wounds.

The guards then proceeded to take him out of palace and threw him into a makeshift carriage roughly. Itachi gave them a menacing glare as they tied him up. They rode for what seemed like hours until the small wooden carriage came to a halt.

The doors opened once again and three guards grabbed the former prince and threw him onto the ground roughly.

"You may never enter this kingdom again!" the leader yelled. Within seconds, the carriage was gone and Itachi was left alone to figure out his bearings.

He was definitely outside of the kingdom…maybe he was in the Dark Forest, which was on the outskirts of the great Fire Nation. With little struggle, the raven haired man wiggled out of his pathetic restraints and started walking. The young man didn't know where he was going, but he couldn't stay still. He knew his life would either start anew or end very soon.


	3. Princessnapped!

Sunlight beamed in from Hinata's wide window, stirring the princess awake. Today was the day. Excitement filled Hinata's soul as she leapt out of bed and stretched. The maids entered the room shortly after, swarming around her like bees as they dressed the beautiful princess. They tightened her dress, curled her hair, and put the most luxurious shoes on her feet.

Despite her anticipation, Hinata felt butterflies develop in her stomach as she walked downstairs to formally say goodbye to her family. It wasn't all that sad, of course. She would see them again soon.

"You look simply gorgeous my dear!" The king bellowed proudly as soon as she caught sight of his petite daughter walking down the staircase.

"Thank you, father." She said quietly and bowed.

"As of today, you will be leaving this kingdom and traveling to the Land of Fire." Her father went on to explain. "You will be married into the Uchiha family."

"Yes, I know father." Hinata responded, faintly wondering why he had to repeat the obvious.

"I'll miss you, sis.." The random voice was Hinabi, walking up to her older sister from behind.

Hinata turned to face her, bending down slightly to wrap her younger sister into a tight embrace. "I'll miss you so much." She whispered, holding back tears. She would miss her sister the most. Hinata knew that Hinabi was on the brink of becoming more developed and would need more guidance than ever from her sister. Too bad, Hinata would already be gone. The princess trusted that her mother and even the maids would not lead Hinabi astray.

She finally let go, not wanting to draw this out longer since her departure was imminent.

"The carriage is waiting out front m'lady," a servant said. Hinata nodded and her father took her hands in his.

"I'm proud of you my sweetheart. I know you will represent this kingdom well." He placed a kiss to her forehead and let her go.

"I will be seeing you during the holidays?"

"Of course."

Exchanging a few waves, Hinata was finally led to the carriage, which was completely wooden and had a few windows in the coach. Frilly lavender curtains could be seen from inside.

Deidara and another servant politely opened the doors for her, so she could enter first. Deidara entered along with her while the other servant went to tend to the horses. Hinata had almost forgotten he was accompanying her. This trip would be a lot more pleasant now.

"Morning princess," He managed to bow within the small carriage, before taking a seat next to her. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'm very excited." She answered with a smile.

"I would imagine so, yeah."

They were quiet as they listened to the clicks and clacks of the horse's hooves. Deidara was not bothered by their silence. It was something the two shared often, and it was comfortable, never awkward. Even so, the servant quietly admired the princess's beauty until he cleared his throat, which caught her attention.

"Do you really love the Prince of the Fire Country?" He asked, trying to make some conversation at least.

The bluenette blushed, her eyes suddenly downcast. "Yes." Her voice had nearly raised an octave. "He's really sweet...a-and handsome and cool."

Deidara figured she'd say such. He was happy she was happy. Really. "Well, you're gorgeous Hinata-sama, and you look very presentable."

"Thanks Deidara."

The remainder of the ride before noon was made of small talk, including lunch. The servants took a break and the horses reverted to a more relaxed position. Hinata's dress was already starting to really itch. In her opinion, this whole was unkempt as her parents weren't able to see the wedding. Hinata couldn't help but feel suspicious.

After lunch, there was a solid 5 more hours to the Fire Palace. Hinata decided to take a nap, and Deidara watched over her quietly. Then there was a sudden stop. Yells could be heard from the outside and through the noise, the princess did not wake from her slumber. Panicked, Deidara glanced outside the window. Flashes of black were moving so fast and taking out men. They were being ambushed by bandits.

Although this was going on, Deidara unsheathed his sword and kept his position in front of the sleeping princess. That was his duty. He had to protect the princess with his life.

Splinters of wood flew as the door was kicked in.

"What's your purpose here?" Deidara questioned as two men walked in.

"The Captain will explain everything." One said. Steady footsteps were heard as a man walked in. His long dark hair and crimson eyes glimmered in the faint sunlight. In a deep velvet voice, he demanded, "Hand over the princess."

"As if it's that simple!" He retorted and lunged forward. Quicker than a blink of an eye, the man had dodged him. Frustration fuming within him, Deidara lunged forward again but his efforts to land a hit on the mysterious infiltrator were fruitless.

Deidara breathed heavily, already a bit exhausted. The Princess moaned a bit in her sleep. Was she dreaming? How come she hadn't awoken from any of this yet?

"My turn," The man said in a teasing tone, a sinister smirk growing on his lips.

It took a few moments before Deidara had realized what just happened. He had gotten sucked into a mysterious smell. His vision morphed into something that hadn't been his most previous reality. The blonde looked around frantically as he seemed to be slowly consumed by a dark void.

'How did I-?' his thought was interrupted as his mind and body were paralyzed.

The mysterious man appeared in a pool of black liquid that was pooling at his feet, only his eyes clearly distinguishable.

"You're trapped now." That toxic voice surrounded him, but the eyes he saw disappeared again. Slowly, Deidara sunk in the dark liquid, the thick black substance engulfing him, suffocating him to his death.

But he didn't die in reality. This nightmare only repeated itself. It was never ending until the man decided to free him of the spell. The horrible part was, Deidara felt it all. The liquid filling and burning his lungs, the inability to breathe…

What the man could see now was the blond on the floor, his eyes shut tightly.

Slipping past the fallen guard, the brunet bent down to observe the princess's face. She surely had matured physically. He noticed her curvaceous body and bust, but that wasn't his main focus. He just admired how the adorable little girl had matured into a gorgeous young woman.

Itachi picked her up carefully and left the dismantled carriage. Why she hadn't woken up is because she was also trapped in Itachi's spell, but with much more pleasant dreams, of course. But he would have to release her from it eventually. The thought of her waking up pained his heart. How would she react? He bit his lip, knowing how crushed she would be to know that her wedding wasn't going to happen.

Shaking these thoughts aside, he grasped her a little more firmly and turned towards his comrade. "Kisame." he said, the shark turning to him accordingly.

"Get everything ready back at the base."

He hesitated for a moment, but simply nodded his head. He was slightly offended that Itachi would ask him to do a task that was fit for a maid. But after all, Itachi was in command. Only a fool would get on his bad side.

"Sasori, could you help him out?"

"Certainly."

They both left, leaving Itachi and Hinata alone. She seemed to stir in her a sleep a bit. A rush a panic went through his mind. He didn't realize that he had lifted his spell. Unless…

He raised an eyebrow as he observed her. 'I have to get her away from here quickly.'


	4. The Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning, this chapter reveals a very...interesting side to Sasuke that may be creepy to some. I'll probably only keep it in his backstory and not expand on it much more. Anyways, enjoy!

Light from the setting sun bled through the windows as Sasuke paced back and forth frantically. It was dusk and she hadn't arrived yet. Something had to have happened.

Suddenly a knock came from the large wooden doors. The prince merely grunted, which meant a yes, and a butler rushed in.

"U-Uh dear prince! The party should be arr-"

Sasuke had exploded before the man could even finish his sentence. "You told me the same DAMN thing 3 fucking hours ago!" the prince's foul language hinted how utterly pissed he was. How stupid did they think he was to believe this? He felt everyone still believed he was that same, naive little boy, and he was sick of it.

The butler stood there, mouth partially agape, nearly trembling in fear. "W-Well your highness...we actually don't know their whereabouts.." He stuttered foolishly, his voice dropping several volumes. This only enraged the prince more.

Sasuke quickly urged himself to relax. His anger was really becoming an issue lately, and he had to find ways to calm down; this was only at his father's request, however.

"You may leave now.." He said in a much more appropriate tone, figuring it was no help to have the butler standing there any longer.

The helpless servant nodded quietly and scrambled out of the ornate bedroom. Sasuke was left alone to his thoughts.

Had it stormed? Were they in a wreck? The possibilities were almost endless. The prince sighed in worry and sat on the bench before his bed. She was the only one he truly care for. The only one who could comfort him and keep him from his bloodlust. He simply couldn't lose her.

-Flashback-

"See those?" The two young children were crouching alongside the stream, observing several small minnows swimming in the clear water.

"Y-Yeah.." The young bluette said, leaning closer, almost losing her balance. Sasuke's quick reflexes allowed him to shoot out his arm in front of her, preventing her from falling into the stream.

"You're very clumsy.." he mumbled and dipped his hands into the water, attempting to catch a few of the critters. Hinata watched in amazement as he caught a few in his hand after some struggle.

"Wh...What are you going to do?"

"You'll see." Sasuke suddenly released the fish onto the chalky white rock, watching as they flipped and flapped helplessly since they were exposed to air. Suddenly, the boy took a rock and crushed each and every one of them with a frightening force. He had this thing for looking into animals' bodies, seeing their bone structure, innards, and all. It was all something he liked to do-Itachi thought it was cruel, his parents simply thought he was a curious boy who would soon be a successful doctor.

The princess watched in horror as he did such a thing, her eyes widening as she tried to search Sasuke's face for an answer.

"Why did you do such a thing?" Her voice was steady now, but extremely accusatory. The boy turned to her, his smile quickly fading as he saw the look in her eyes.

"I...I thought you'd think it'd be cool. I like to look at their insides...see how they function." He didn't want to admit he also enjoyed seeing their blood run. It rose a strange feeling within him.

"They didn't get to grow up...and the peasants…"

Sasuke, overwhelmed with guilt, reached forward and hugged her tight before she could finish what she wanted to say.

"I'm sorry Hinata, you're right…" He said, almost feeling tears to his eyes as the girl he liked so much had been creeped out by him. "Itachi says the same thing."

And from then on, Sasuke realized something within him wasn't quite right.  _Hinata was his light._

-End flashback-

"Do you know if she's arrived yet? Do ya? Do ya?" Hinabi was bugging her father. She was following him around their palace as she did it. She wanted an answer. The king was used to this kind of behavior to the point that he didn't even blink an eye. She was so damn persistent…

"It'll be days before I receive any news." The king murmured in response, once they stopped in the kitchen. The servants were working busily on the night's dinner, and he wanted to observe what they were doing.

"You're a smart girl, I'd figured you'd know that."

"I am but," she tried to think of a way to explain herself. Hanabi was a carefree, confident child, with absolutely little to stress over. But anything regarding her sister was a clear exception. "I'm worried. What if something had happened?"

"Highly improbable. I have the best guards in the land with her."

"But still…"

"You're reminding me of your mother…" The king said sharply, leaving out of the kitchen.

Hanabi was left pondering over that last statement. Whenever there was a mention of her mother, she was ambivalent. She never knew her, only knew that she was strikingly beautiful and an incredibly kind queen to the people. She had heard that she had died giving birth to her, and only Hinata had faint memory of her.

It was typical of the king to find another woman to replace her, but this wasn't the case. Hiashi Hyuuga had bit the bullet and had taken over both the king and queen responsibilities. The girls didn't know why he just wouldn't find another mother for them, but they were too frightened to ask.

Back in his study, Hiashi sighed and took a seat behind his desk. He had allowed that to slip out. He didn't need any curiosity coming from the girls about their mother. That would be only  _more_ to worry about. He rubbed his temples and leaned back in his chair.

He had told Hinabi all bull about hearing back "days" of any news. The journey to the land wouldn't take that long and there was plenty of points the carriage would pass where gatewatchers would relay news of their travel.

_Who had it been? Did Deidara make himself of use finally?_

Some unknown force had made his job easier and caused the king to smile some to himself. Perfect.


	5. Missing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My original drafts to this story have been done away with completely. Therefore, some of my ideas for further into the plot are gone or I've forgotten entirely ;; So I'm trying my best to rehash and come up with some new things! This is the most I've came up with so far! Enjoy. :)

It was dark.

Hinata took a moment to examine her surroundings the best she could. Soft sheets surrounded her. The air wherever she was located was a bit stuffy yet moist. She heard nothing.

Then it all came back to her. She was traveling to the Land of the Fire to be married to Sasuke Uchiha! However, there was no carriage, horses, or Deidara! What had happened?

Panic rushed through her as she pushed the heavy sheets off of her and sat up in bed.

"Hello?" She called out in a loud yet shaky voice. "Where am I? Wha—"

The door opened then and a dark figure approached her swiftly. "Keep quiet," was his words, and seconds later, he was greeted with a loud scream from the princess. Everyone had to have been awake by now. Fuck.

Before she could let out another piercing scream, he clasped his hand over her mouth and pushed her back onto the bed.

"Listen, you're not in danger. But you've got to stay quiet." He said through his teeth, his ears already starting to ring. Geez, she really had some pipes.

Her vision adjusted slowly in the dark and she could see short, disheveled hair and smelled a near musky fragrance. Of course, she did not know this man.

He stared at her for a few more moments before he slowly retracted his hand from her mouth.

"Please, tell me where I am, or I won't hesitate to scream again." Hinata said in the most low, threatening voice she could muster, despite her trembling being visible.

The man wasn't scared of her demeanor in the slightest, but he easily gave in to her wish.

"You're somewhere far away from where you were prior." Vague but truthful. He couldn't tell her she was in a secret hideout. "Sorry to say, but you will not be arriving at the Land of Fire."

"B-but why?" There were tears clearly in her voice. So they were hijacked. Where was Deidara? Would she ever be able to meet Sasuke? These realizations and many others slowly began to descend upon her, and she started to push at the man now on top of her.

Sasori easily held her down, having to straddle her in the process. He felt strained that he had to be the one to deliver this news to her. But it was Itachi's orders.

Hinata's sobs were loud now as she started to cry. He figured that anything else now would only worsen her emotions, so he found himself saying, "I know this is hard news to swallow, but everything will be fine. You'll be taken care of well here. That is a promise."

The princess barely comprehended these words through her sorrowful crying. She jerked away from his grasp, and he stood up from the bed. He said nothing as he left.

oOo

Hours later, Hinata woke up, not realizing that she had fallen asleep. She sat up in bed, wiping at her tear-stained face. Her room was still dark, but it seemed someone had gone through the effort of lighting her a candle to illuminate her living space. There was also a folded piece of stationery on the bedside table. She picked it up.

_Greetings princess,_

_I know you don't feel well. You feel that your future has been taken away from you and that you have been wronged. You're scared of what is to come and want to return home or to the Land of Fire._

_Such wishes are understandable, and though my apologies are feeble to the amount of guilt I feel, I can only say that I am sorry. I hate to have made you feel this way. You don't have to forgive me right now._

_But I will say that you going to the Land of Fire was doomed from the start. I have saved you from a dreary future, even with the presence of Prince Sasuke. Perhaps, you will thank me later._

_Today, I hope you can relax and find some reassurance from my fellow friends as well as what our surroundings have to offer for you._

_I._

Mixed feelings swarmed within Hinata as she read this letter. A dreary future? Forgiveness? Who even was this "I."? Such thoughts made her rip the letter promptly in half. It all seemed to be full of lies anyway.

She was about to stand when the door swung open. A brown-haired man appeared in a long black trench coat.

"Morning." He said briefly. "It's me..from last night. Call me Sasori." He could notice how stiff and tired she looked, as well as the ripped up letter on the ground. He was sure Itachi had expected that.

Hinata only glanced at the man and instead, decided to busy herself with fixing up her bed. Sasori let out a heavy sigh. This was going to be difficult.

"There's breakfast, if you're hungry." He also mentioned, but was again, greeted with silence. This was really starting to damage his pride a bit. Sure he was more of a quieter type himself, but consoling someone was definitely not one of his abilities.

Hinata finished making her bed after a couple minutes and quietly uttered,

"Do I even have anything appropriate to wear?" She was only wearing a thin dress she wore underneath her big dress. The princess could only wonder why she had to be stripped of her clothing.

Of course, Sasori and the others couldn't allow her to wear her original clothing. She'd be too noticeable if they were to go somewhere (it seemed Itachi had no plan of allowing that to happen for now anyway). But to her question, he nodded.

"Check the top drawer of the bureau." He paused. "If you need anything, I'll be down the hall. The kitchen's down there too."

Upon his departure, Hinata went to the drawer to observe her new garb. Black shirt and pants with a dark trench coat. She couldn't recall the last time she'd been able to wear pants. She slowly dressed herself and let out a soft sigh.

It seemed trying to escape right now would be futile. She knew nothing of what was behind that door, so the least she could do was explore. And so, she did.

oOo

Sasuke hadn't slept. This wasn't right. She was supposed to have arrived last night, and upon morning time, there was still no news of her arrival.

The prince had hurriedly gotten dressed (whilst pushing his servants out the way) and marched straight to his father's private office. He barged in without any noting of his arrival, which roused a glare from the king.

"So, is she coming or what?"

"To be frank Sasuke, I haven't a clue."

"Did you send out patrols? If I don't hear anything, I'll go out and look for her myself!"

"Just you wait a moment, Sasuke.." The king tried to calm the impatient prince, not having a single doubt in his mind that he  _would_  leave and start searching for her. "I have sent out patrols but I haven't heard back. As much as I know you love Hinata and want a good fight, it would be absolutely irresponsible on my part to allow you to leave the kingdom during this time."

Really, Sasuke thought this was a bunch of bullshit, but he kept his mouth shut. His anger was raging within him, but there wasn't anything he could to do right now. And upon further examination, his father was also, clueless.

Fugaku couldn't help but feel absolutely suspicious about this entire transaction. Firstly, Hiashi wouldn't be accompanying her, and secondly, there marriage would help the Ice Kingdom exponentially, and the Fire Kingdom, not as much. Though the two kingdoms had been allies for years, there had been some subtle tensions. He could only wonder if this had all been planned.

"So, just lay low for now. I will send another message to Hiashi and notify you immediately if something comes up."

"Right." Sasuke said, giving in, before leaving. After shutting the door behind him, he stood for a few moments. Despite his willingness to obey his father, he still had the urge to go out by himself and look for her.

Sasuke's "bloodlust" had ebbed greatly as he matured, but it had found a home within his combat training. He had begged his father to allow him to train with the knights when he was younger, and once King Fugaku gave in, he took full advantage. He excelled at sword fighting, and even learned a few wasn't really a day that passed without him training or conditioning somehow. He loved to win, even when death wasn't involved. Truly, his real reasoning was so he couldn't be a sitting duck when he ascended the throne, and also so he could protect his princess.

So now, this was his time. This was his time to use what he'd learn for years to find his princess. Setting this goal in mind, his fists tightened at his sides, and he started down the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you guys think! I'm kinda playing things chapter by chapter now, so hopefully by the next update I can add some more surprises and…uh..twists.


	6. Fate

Deidara woke up with a start. There was a mild pain in his chest from the nightmare he had just experienced. Luckily, it wasn't enough to worry him.

"Hinata?" He called out vainly, only to be met with an eery silence. There was a strong smell of blood, and the carriage was in awful condition. Pieces of wood and glass were everywhere because of the mangled door and shattered windows. One or more wheels must have been missing as the carriage was no longer stable and tilted at a sharp angle.

The sky was an indigo-like blue, the sun already set on the horizon. This, unfortunately, would begin to impair Deidara's sight. He had to act fast.

He ran out of the carriage and was met with what he had expected. The horsemen and guards were dead, along with the horses. The sight would have made any commoner disturbed.

Even for the blond, who had seen much bloodshed when he was a knight, found the scene to be sickening. His legs began to grow weak as he suddenly fell to his knees and let out a pitiful cry of anguish. A cry because of his perished comrades, the princess' absence, and as well as his fate. It was the same one these men had just faced. Unfortunately, the blond didn't get to see Hinata off the way he wished.

Returning to the kingdom would guarantee his death. It wasn't necessarily because of Hinata's disappearance, but rather, the inability to carry out a task that was appointed to him some time ago.

Actually, Deidara wasn't so despaired because of his impending death. He had accepted it as soon as he decided not go through with the plan, valuing the princess' trust and happiness over his own life.

oOo

"You piece of trash!"

The man threw another punch squarely onto the child's jaw, which caused his small head to jerk, blood promptly filling his mouth. The kid was used to this treatment by now. He was an orphan—both of his parents having died in a fire—and no other family he knew of. Therefore, he was forced to have a life of theft in order to survive by his lonesome.

Living in the Land of Ice while being extremely poor was a formidable lifestyle. Not only was the climate of the land tough to live in, but the standard of living was higher than in other neighboring countries. Impoverished peoples here suffered particularly more than in other lands. Furthermore, this particular king only made such matters worse.

Deidara knew of his societal standing ever since he could remember. His parents had been quick to remind him of what he could and could not do, and what they could afford. Money, food, work..one of those had always been imperfect during his lifetime. And his parents' death only made such matters worse.

Because of this, his thieving ways only intensified, which led to him being foiled more often. Like now. It'd happened so frequently, that he didn't even try to fight back. He merely took his beating, and only wished for it all to end.

He started to feel his consciousness slip from him when all of a sudden, the man on top of him was pulled off. He saw through partially closed eyes a man in shining blue garb attack the man, swiftly putting him in his place. This newcomer must have been part of the royal guard.

Deidara hadn't sat up by the time the guard approached him. The man lifted his mask and stared down at the young boy, an obvious look of pity in his eyes. Such a look made a fire refuel within the boy. He hated receiving such looks.

"Boy, what happened here?" He asked, crouching down some to be at the level of the blond child.

"Nothing.." He said hoarsely, refusing to admit his crimes as he started to sit up. He didn't owe this guard anything. The only thing he and this monarch did was cause his pain and suffering.

"So you're telling me, this shopkeeper here would just attack a boy on the street? You must've stolen."

Deidara said nothing, starting to stand up but stopped as a feeling of pain ran through his body. He was clearly hurt more than what was visible. The guard wasn't ignorant of this.

"Also, blond hair and blue eyes aren't common traits in this land. Where are you truly from?"

It was another question Deidara was asked a lot. Most of the people from the Land of Ice had the common traits of jet black hair, lavender eyes, and incredibly pale skin. The boy only had one of these traits.

"My parents immigrated from the Land of Stone years ago.." He mumbled, not meeting eye contact with the guard in front of him.

The Land of Stone was a country stricken with famine, violence, and political instability. When Deidara's parents had immigrated, their lifestyle hadn't gotten much better, but at least they had been safer.

The guard responded to this information with a gradual nod of his head. So he already had little ties here because he was an immigrant. The poor kid.

"Come with me. You're injured. I can help."

"That's a lie! The only thing you're going to do is throw me in jail, like all my other friends!" The kid retorted, finally looking at the man with tearful eyes.

He was convinced in those moments, that he was going to die. Why would this guard go out of his way to help him?

Deidara pulled up his knees, hid his face behind them, and started to cry. He was cold. Hungry. Scared.

The guard was silent for a few minutes, allowing the boy to cry. He had the right to. He seemed to have a rough life. Where were his parents?

Seeing him begin to shiver, the man wrapped a garment over Deidara's shoulders and helped the small boy up. It seemed that he was no longer trying to resist. He lacked the will to do so.

From then on, the two traveled back to the castle. Along the way, the blond boy stared wide-eyed at all the grand sights he was encountered with. He had only seen the stone fortress from a distance, and never at all dreamed of being able to step foot in it in his lifetime. The tall ceilings, the wide corridors, and ornate architecture—it all seemed like a dream to the boy.

He was promptly sent to the infirmary, where he was given the utmost care and attention to his wounds. While he was resting, the door to his room opened, and a tall man entered. The boy looked up and gawked dumbly. It was the king!

"How do you feel?" Hiashi asked, taking a seat on the side of the boy's bed.

"Okay.." He murmured, rubbing one of his eyes partially, feigning the appearance of drowsiness out of anxiety.

The man remained quiet as he looked over the boy, disregarding the boy's slight rudeness. The king was always met with a straightened posture and a deep bow. No commoner would ever greet the king so shortly, either. This child looked like a poor boy off the street. So, Hiashi didn't expect him to know any better.

"What is your name?"

"Deidara." The boy finally met the man's eyes, but only for half a second.

"Do you have a family?" The king asked moments later. He quickly noticed tension develop in the boy's demeanor.

"They're dead." He responded calmly, not a waver in his voice. Deidara had became used to this reality by now.

"How about living here, in the castle?"

The boy raised his eyebrows incredulously. There had to be a catch. Surely this wealthy and selfish monarch wouldn't give street garbage like him an opportunity like this with no underlying intentions. Deidara's logical deduction proved his maturity beyond his years. Any child his age would have accepted without a second thought.

"I'm not going to jail?"

"No. Instead, you will be trained to fight on our force. You won't have to suffer or steal anymore."

Now that, was convincing enough for Deidara. In the back of his head, he worried if he was being hypocritical with himself by defending a monarch that had caused so much pain and suffering for the poor people in this land. However, for once, the child felt selfish. Laying his life on the line for the monarch was better than time in jail, or even worse, execution.

From then on, he was taken into the castle and trained to become a knight. Through the years, King Hiashi had taken a special liking towards Deidara and elevated him to a personal servant for his eldest daughter. He was even more pleased when they started to develop a bond with one another. Naturally, he didn't intend for this to last forever.

One night, he called Deidara into his study. His back hadn't been facing the young male at first, his attention on the snow fall outside the window. The blond waited in anticipation. The king usually never called him in this late unless it was something incredibly important.

Finally, the man turned and faced the youth. "I've made up my mind."

Deidara was silent as he waited for the royal to elaborate. When he heard nothing, he uttered softly, "About?" Uncertainty was present in his voice.

"How to further my legacy." Hiashi paused, "I need your help to carry this out."

"I'll do anything," Deidara promptly bowed his head, waiting for further instruction. He had grown incredibly loyal to the monarch.

"I want you to kill my eldest daughter."

His blood ran cold. What? It took a second to comprehend what he had heard fully. Surely, this wasn't what he meant.

Deidara swallowed, uttering, "May I ask why?" Hinata was his friend. Once he had become her personal servant, they had hit it off so well. She opened up to him about all of her problems, and Deidara did the same (of course, holding back confidential information). The two had spent so much time with one another that when they weren't in each other's presence, it felt peculiar. He couldn't bring himself to do this.

"It'll give me the excuse to begin a war. I would like to funnel more resources into our military and other forces, but the council will not allow me. I need something to..happen. Furthermore, Hinata is not adequate enough to carry on my legacy. Of course, she is to marry the Fire Prince, as decided upon her birth. However, I am reconsidering such an agreement as I do not agree with Fugaku's leadership in the Land of Fire. I do not wish for such an association; it would tarnish me, and this land. I want to rid us of them, and take some of their resources and land."

"So, the day that Hinata leaves for the Land of Fire is the day that you will carry out my plan. In turn, Fugaku would be furious and, probably, attempt to rile me up. Then, I will make my move. If they attack us first, even better."

Deidara was visibly shaking as he heard all of this. How could someone be this selfish? Throw away their own daughter in order to consolidate money and power… The blond could not understand this mindset. For the first time in years, he was beginning to feel the hatred he once felt as a child towards this royalty.

"I..I'm sorry, but I cannot do that." He heard himself say before he'd realized it.

"Excuse me?" Hiashi was dumbfounded. It was the first time Deidara directly opposed an order. He didn't know how to handle this, besides with anger.

He suddenly shot up from his seat, which caused Deidara to flinch instinctively. "Don't make me ask again." He said coolly. "I have observed your relationship with my daughter, and though I have no issue with it, it will not progress. That is simply your fate."

Deidara's trembling did not cease as he was now shaking more out of anger than shock. His fists were balled up so tight, that blood was starting to run on his hands. If he laid one finger on the king, he would die. Even though his job dealt with death every day, the blond wasn't ready to accept death in those immediate moments, and certainly, not this way.

Beautiful sunsets, the smells and sounds of the morning, and Hinata's companionship were his reasons to stay alive. He wanted to enjoy them a while longer.

"I need vocal affirmation." Hiashi said and cleared his throat, partially assuming that Deidara's silence meant his submission.

"Y…yes.." He said lowly. "I apologize for the disrespect, your highness." Even then, Deidara had no intention of going through with the plan. He had no choice but to say yes, and Hiashi would just have to be in the dark about Deidara's true intentions.

And so, he accepted his death. Four years in advance.

oOo

Too busy in his own thoughts, he didn't realize the patrols approaching the carriage.

"Oi! Identify yourself!"

Deidara snapped out of his thoughts and looked in the direction of the voices. A squad of men were approaching on horseback, wearing dark maroon garb. These were men of the Fire Nation. He silently thanked Fugaku for having a deep concern for the princess' whereabouts.

"Deidara. Royal Knight of the Land of Ice." He responded. The weariness was clear in his voice.

The men came to a gradual stop, and the leader got off his horse.

"Can you tell me what happened here?"

"We were ambushed by some unknown individuals. I'm only now waking up from the spell cast upon me."

"And the princess?"

"She was taken.."

Murmurs rose among the men, and the leader visibly blanched. Fugaku, and particularly, Sasuke, weren't going to be happy about this news.

More issues were discussed, but eventually, it was to be that Deidara would be returned with a couple of escorts to the Land of Ice, while the rest of the patrol would return and report the news to the Land of Fire.

A heavy feeling of dread rested on Deidara's conscious as he started back on his way with a few of the Fire guards accompanying him. Though he was ready to die, he was too worried about the princess. He truly hoped she hadn't been harmed. Or murdered.


End file.
